Dear High School Graduate: Congratulations! You did it! You passed a major life hurdle by graduating from high school. But now it’s time to think ahead. I hope you’re already planning to take the next step—to pursue a college degree. Although once upon a time a high school degree could get you a fair number of good jobs, those have mostly dried up.
You may have parents or family members who have made a good living with just a high school degree. But the world they grew up in is not the same world you are growing up in.Increasingly, the jobs of today and tomorrow require some college degree or certificate. And the economic benefits of earning a four-year college degree now substantially outweigh what you can earn with a high school degree. Across a lifetime, college grads earn about $1 million dollars more.Doesn’t that sound like an investment you can’t afford NOT to make?
And you shouldn’t think that money—or the lack of it—is standing in your way. At Mercy College, for example, a variety of federal, state, and college resources are standing ready to help you make the dream of a college education a reality. You don’t have to borrow crazy amounts of money to get a college degree. In fact, you shouldn’t. There are resources available to help you achieve this goal. You might feel a little bewildered by the whole prospect of applying to college and applying for financial aid. I hope you won’t let this challenge defeat your dreams, though. One of the things that Mercy College is doing is designed to guide you through the process of getting into college. We have a nationally recognized program called PACT which pairs each of our students with a professional mentor. That mentor will help you navigate all the processes you need to get started. The men-tor is designed to work with you throughout your college career. At the beginning, your PACT mentor will help with questions about registration and financial aid. As the semesters pass, the men-tor will help you prepare a resume and think about applying for jobs or intern-ships. Even if no one in your family has ever been to college that should not stand in your way. Mercy College has staff on hand to help you make the transition from high school to college. Check out our website at www.mercy.edu, call our admissions office at 877-MERCY-GO FREE. To apply visit: www.mercy.edu/apply-now. Better yet, schedule a visit at one of our campuses—whether Dobbs Ferry, the Bronx, Manhattan, or Yorktown Heights.
This is the time to make a positive decision about your future. I hope you’ll consider Mercy College as the place where you’ll pursue your college degree. Although we are large enough to provide a wide range of academic programs, we are committed to making college a “high touch” experience. We don’t do factory education at Mercy. You won’t sit in huge auditoriums where you will never know your professor and your professor will never know you. At Mercy, it’s up close and personal. Frankly, we believe that’s the kind of environment in which students succeed, and we’re anxious to work with you as well to ensure that you succeed.
All the best!
